Some of Australia’s best racing greyhounds will line up for the Group 2 Triple M Bendigo Cup at Lords Raceway this Friday night, 6 July.
Heats were held last Sunday, with the winners of each heat making it through to the $47,000 to-the-winner final. The eight finalists are Big Flood 23.64sec (Best) Orson Allen 23.69sec Bernardo 23.75sec Black Forge 23.76sec Aston Duke 23.76sec Striker Light 23.82sec Vanderworp 23.82sec Peter Galo 23.91sec.
Big Flood and Striker Light have firmed as equal favourites at $3 with TAB, but with the impressive breadth of talent on show in the 425m final, this will be a very open Bendigo Cup.
Pearcedale trainer Seona Thompson will line up two of the eight starters, including co-favourite Big Flood who ran the fastest qualifying time but is still chasing his first win in a group race. He is joined by kennel mate Aston Duke, the half-brother of the recently retired superstar Aston Dee Bee who claimed the Melbourne Cup, Ballarat Cup and Warragul Cup.
Striker Light, the only female greyhound to make it through, is the most experienced greyhound in the final, having completed 16 group races with four wins including three Group 1 wins. With almost $700,000 in prize money to her name, she is Australia’s 10th all-time highest prize money winner and a win on Friday night will boost her to eighth spot. She turned in an impressive run in her heat following a two-month spell due to a triangle muscle injury.
Orson Allen recorded the second fastest time in the heats. At 26 months he is the youngest greyhound in the final with just 12 starts to his name. Bernardo and the NSW-trained Black Forge, who is running in his first interstate campaign, ran virtually identical times in their respective heats. Bernardo has won his four past starts and ran second in the Group 1 Harrison-Dawson at Sandown Park in May.
West Australian chaser Vanderworp, the superbly bred son of Kelsos Fusileer and High Recall, has won 14 of his 26 starts. He has continued to dominate in WA since his return from an injury which sidelined him for six months. Peter Galo, jumping from box one, is contesting his second Victorian country cup. He had an impressive start to his career, claiming four consecutive victories at Healesville which included a GRV VIC Bred Maiden Series final.
It will be a big night of racing for the Bendigo Greyhound Racing Association, with another four feature events being decided: Go Distance Racing Winter Cup (660m) First prize $10,000; GRV Vic Bred Maiden Final (425m) First prize $7,500; Ready 2 Race Mid Year Bonus (425m) First prize $5,000; Grade 5 Final (500m) First prize $3,050.
The Bendigo Greyhound Racing Association is on the McIvor Hwy, Junortoun. Gates open at 5.30pm (Free Entry) and the first race is at 7.08pm. Tickets to the Punters Club hosted by race caller James Van de Maat go on sale at $10 each.
